A review by montrez
Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This twisted, dark read hits all the gothic horror romance tropes from amazing commentary on the rotten aristocracy (amazing parallels between animal savagery vs humanity) to the looming estate full of secrets and the pensive damsel both tempted and tormented by the affections of her brooding and deeply flawed love interest and the circumstances she finds herself in. 

Crimson Peak meets The Invitation with a strong influence from Mexican Gothic and a touch of that Sundance ambivalence (that ending) . Expect more savage and twisted oddities but less heart from the main character. As bizarre and horrifying as her situation was, there wasn’t much fight in the main character, but rather a sort of lucky endurance that allows us a convenient look at the real star of the story. It felt like the house and the surrounding mythos were the real main characters and the nagging curiosity surrounding the plot was what kept me reading. 

The writing was beautiful  and the audiobook performance really added to the overall experience. If you read this book, I highly recommend reading with the audio to give you a greater feel for this eclectic, dark supernatural/psychological thriller.
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